California’s affordability crisis threatens America’s defense industrial base
This opinion piece argues that California's high cost of living is undermining efforts to rebuild America's defence industrial base by driving away the skilled tradespeople needed to sustain it. The state hosts over 30 major defence installations and a substantial aerospace and defence sector offering well-paid jobs, but the author contends that soaring housing, energy and general living costs mean even strong salaries no longer stretch far enough to keep workers there.
The piece cites defence-sector wages of roughly $90,000 to $100,000 a year, achievable without a four-year degree, against rents approaching $3,000 a month, alongside rising costs for petrol, electricity, insurance and food. It calls for a shift away from a "college for all" mindset towards expanding apprenticeships and vocational training, pointing to Trump administration initiatives and the America First Policy Institute's workforce agenda, while arguing that California's state government (Sacramento) must also address affordability if it wants to retain the tradespeople the defence industry depends on.
- California's high living costs are driving away skilled defence-industry workers
- Trades pay $90,000–$100,000 but rents near $3,000 a month
- Author urges apprenticeships, vocational training and state affordability reforms
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California is home to many US military bases and companies that make aircraft and other defence equipment. These employers rely on skilled tradespeople, including mechanics, electricians and technicians, many of whom train through apprenticeships or vocational courses rather than university.
The debate centres on whether workers can afford to live near these jobs. The opinion piece points to high housing and household costs in California, and argues that they may make it harder for employers to recruit and keep staff, even where wages are relatively high.
The federal government sets national defence and workforce priorities, while California’s state government, based in Sacramento, makes decisions that affect housing and living costs. The issue matters because shortages of skilled workers could affect the country’s ability to maintain military equipment and expand defence production.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
California’s housing and other living costs may make defence-sector wages insufficient to attract and retain skilled tradespeople, weakening the workforce needed to maintain military installations and expand production. Supporters of the argument say that broader apprenticeships and vocational training can prepare more workers for these well-paid jobs, while state action on affordability is needed to keep them in California.
The case against
The state’s defence industry offers substantial employment and wages that can support workers without a four-year degree, and recruitment pressures may reflect wider workforce shortages rather than California’s cost of living alone. Critics may also argue that promoting apprenticeships and vocational routes is compatible with higher education, and that the piece does not establish that its proposed policy shift or state-level affordability measures would materially strengthen the defence industrial base.